Making money in sheep farming

[Ross121]

You will struggle to beat profit or turnover speed of buying draft ewes and tupping then selling empties, in lamb ewes or couples.... or running through selling lambs fat/store and killing ewes in the fat. Just buy right in price and type and do them well with a market in mind. I’ve just finished loading 250 in lamb hill ewes on lorry to be sold at market tomorrow morning.

Sorry to hijack but Which market are they going too? Any details on them? Thanks

 

[CopperBeech]

Sorry to hijack but Which market are they going too? Any details on them? Thanks

Rugby. They aren’t too pretty not many teeth left but they will do someone a job I’m sure.

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

I am a young sheep farmer with a small flock of mules and Charolais but I’m wanting to know which aspect of sheep farming i should get into which would be the most profitable eg pedigree , prime stock , breeding sheep ext. thank you

You don't say where you are and advice may be different in regions of the UK.

First of all with sheep, don't spend too much money on them.
Make sure you have another well paying job.
Doing the work of producing lambs will always be the most profitable route, but you may tie up too much of your time.

If you buy store lambs then decide if you want to take the long term route or turn them over and make a smaller but more guaranteed profit.
Buy store lambs in July that were probably born in February that the breeder has decided to chuck them out. Put them on some good grass and get them sold again by September.
Then buy some small well bred and good shaped lambs as cheap as possible and sell them before Xmas.
Wait until January (this year it didn't work) and buy some reasonable sized stores and sell before Easter.

 

[Woolless]

You don't say where you are and advice may be different in regions of the UK.

First of all with sheep, don't spend too much money on them.
Make sure you have another well paying job.
Doing the work of producing lambs will always be the most profitable route, but you may tie up too much of your time.

If you buy store lambs then decide if you want to take the long term route or turn them over and make a smaller but more guaranteed profit.
Buy store lambs in July that were probably born in February that the breeder has decided to chuck them out. Put them on some good grass and get them sold again by September.
Then buy some small well bred and good shaped lambs as cheap as possible and sell them before Xmas.
Wait until January (this year it didn't work) and buy some reasonable sized stores and sell before Easter.

I assume the Feb-July advice is only relevant down south? Genuine question.

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

I assume the Feb-July advice is only relevant down south? Genuine question.

Yes, which is why I qualified with asking where the OP is.

 

[Woolless]

Yes, which is why I qualified with asking where the OP is.

Thanks. Having said that, I thought all my Christmases had come at once selling stores at £80 at Hexham this July

 

[Jockers84]

It depends on the type of land, location, how much time & money you plan to invest and what direction you think the sector is heading. Possibly better to use the end goal as a starting point and work backwards from there (10year plan sort of thing), be very conservative with your estimates. Remember markets aren't totally predictable so expect the odd kick in the nuts, try and be in a proactive position rather than reactive to prevent that, also remember the worst thing for a sheep is another sheep - clean grazing is the most important asset.